What ever happened to Colt?

C

chiefr

New member
Looking though the 2010 Gun Digest, I noticed only two handguns listed by Colt: the 1911 and the Single Action Army and variants of the two. They also continue to make the AR15 rifle and its variants.

An American legend, Colt has scribed its name in history books with its first revolvers beginning in 1836. Today, their product line has diminished significantly, however the 1911, SAA, and AR15 they continue to manufacture, are all great guns.

What ever happened to the Pythons, Agents, and other great double action revolvers? I for one sure miss these guns.:confused:
 
I'm not an expert on this, but it seems that Unions and high labor cost started the downhill slide. Today most gun manufacturers had to upgrade to CNC/CAD in the process. I know that S&W invested over 80 million to compete in todays market. I don't know if Colt did this or not. I'm guessing that they did because of the guns mentioned. Maybe it's poor marketing stragety, whatever it's a shame. Best, Lyle
 
The market was not willing to spend the money on their guns, plain and simple. Everyone wanted cheap, so other companies found ways to make cheap guns people were willing to spend money on. If it wasn't for the contract for the military. Colt would have been gone decades ago. Now that they don't have an exclusive contract, I don't think you'll see them around for much longer, unless someone buys them for the name - like FN, Beretta, or Cerebus
 
I think someone will buy them for the name and move production to a cheaper part of the country (non union). Then, they may be able to compete again.

If not, then I think they will sadly slide into history.
 
The market was not willing to spend the money on their guns, plain and simple. Everyone wanted cheap
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I disagree. S&W still produces high quality and pretty costly revolvers that are sold as fast as they can be made. Colt fell victim to a combination of bad labor relations, poor marketing, and bad management.
 
They seem to be developing some new products Colt Agent Etc.

Aren't they selling a boat load of M4s to he US gov? I guess if that starts to dry up they will shift focus to the consumer market.
 
It is a shame. Only very few firearms still made and sold by Colt and the are not cheap by any stretch. I blame the economy, most don't have extra to spend and Colt's firearms are not cheap. If they can't sell large amounts they can't make large amounts. Who knows what the future holds, maybe if we are lucky, if the economy gets back on its' feet they will begin producing some of the old models like the thunderer and such. We can only hope :/.I also think it could have something to do with their military contract, when their contract expires we may see more civilian firearms being marketed as some others said.
 
Whirlwind06 said:
Aren't they selling a boat load of M4s to he US gov? I guess if that starts to dry up they will shift focus to the consumer market.
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Yeah, but I believe their exclusivity contract isn't for much longer.
I think a lot of it is just that they're complacent with their military contracts. Once they lose those, I could see them going under big time given how abortive all of their Civilian/LE targeted products have gone. Anyone remember the Z40? I don't think they even gave that a chance to go to open market.

Sgt.Saputo said:
It is a shame. Only very few firearms still made and sold by Colt and the are not cheap by any stretch. I blame the economy, most don't have extra to spend and Colt's firearms are not cheap. If they can't sell large amounts they can't make large amounts. Who knows what the future holds, maybe if we are lucky, if the economy gets back on its' feet they will begin producing some of the old models like the thunderer and such. We can only hope :/.
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I think a lot of the costs have to do with price gouging. An M1991 pistol can't be had no for under $750, when it's actual worth is probably more around the $600 mark considering it's made with a lot of MIM and plastic parts to cut costs down, but no, it's a colt 1911, best gun in the world :rolleyes:
 
Colt Industries is a lot bigger than just the firearm division.

They diversified a long time ago (I made thread rolling dies for them in the early 1970's in a previous career as a toolmaker) and continued to follow the profit line *away* from firearms.

Unless they could see the profits being there from a corporate stance, there is no chance they would go back to what they once were in firearms.
 
Cheep does not mean poor.

My Ruger Blackhawk and Super RedHawk are some of the finest handguns I have ever seen….

And My H&K & Sigs too.

Colt just needs to innovate and not ride on it laurels
 
I think a lot of the costs have to do with price gouging. An M1991 pistol can't be had no for under $750, when it's actual worth is probably more around the $600 mark considering it's made with a lot of MIM and plastic parts to cut costs down, but no, it's a colt 1911, best gun in the world
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Remington sells their GI 1911 for $600. $750 for GI Colt is not to much more. Both are made in the US. Considering "budget" (non US made) 1911's are in the $400 to $450 range.
 
What ever happened to the Pythons, Agents, and other great double action revolvers? I for one sure miss these guns.
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So do I.

Part of it was innovative competition from Ruger and Smith and Wesson, but a big part was a significant reduction in the overall market as police departments all over the country switched from revolvers to semi-automatic pistols.

When revolvers were still the carry standard, many officers preferred the six-shot Colt Detective Special over the Smith J frame competition for under-cover, off-duty, and backup carry. The Colt ".41 frame" Army Special, Official Police, Trooper, and Python revolvers had advantages over the Smith K frames insofar as durability was concerned and were lighter than the N frames. The later L frame, which is larger than the K, became a very formidable competitor.

For some good reading on those guns, try Massad Ayoob's Greatest Handguns of the World. It's new, and it relates not only Mas' thoughts and experience but also what the writers of an earlier age--Lucien Cary, Elmer Keith, Henry M. Stebbins, and others--had to say when revolvers rode in police holsters. It's really a good book, and it covers a lot of other old favorites including the Colt Woodsman, the first Smith and Wesson service autos, H&K, the Ruger P90, and even the Luger. The chapter on Glocks is, quite frankly, the first I've ever enjoyed reading about that series. But--as Mas says from time to time in the book--I digress.
 
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$150 is still $150, I don't believe the R1 is made with a lot of cheaper plastic parts and not as much MIM parts either and it's still less and made in America.
 
Ever since WWII, Colt has basically ignored the civilian handgun market, concentrating on its police and military sales and not even bothering to market guns the public wants and can afford. Their one attempt at innovation was not well considered and ultimately was too little, too late.

Plus, they had a series of absolutely abysmal owners, people who had no interest in guns (one company president, I was told, contributed to the anti-gun lobby) and wanted only to milk the company for all it was worth and get out. Another, a military man, was hired solely to influence military sales; he had no experience or interest in commercial products.

Their managment consistently made the wrong decisions. Colt scrapped its SAA tooling just as the first cowboy craze took off. They stopped making DA revolvers just as concealed carry became legal and practical in most states. They invested millions in junk like the AA2000 and sold inferior foreign guns with the Colt name.

For the Colt name to come back, they first have to have a mass exodus of their whole ownership and management and find people who actually want to make guns for ordinary people, not toys for the rich.

Jim
 
For the Colt name to come back, they first have to have a mass exodus of their whole ownership and management and find people who actually want to make guns for ordinary people, not toys for the rich.
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Like evolution, only the strong survive - IMO, it's time to let this company die. All anyone is going to do is try to compare anything new against the older Python, Woodsman, etc. and then lambaste them because the quality isn't there unless it's a $3,000 gun - which isn't going to sell.

Colt has outlived its usefulness.
 
"Colt Industries" divested itself of the firearms division long ago.
The Remington R1 has a cast frame, cast hammer, and cast or MIM sear & disconnector.
Denis
 
oneounceload,

Sadly, I think you are right. I do think the market would be receptive to an affordable Python, Anaconda, Sport Woodsman.

They would probably have to be imported rather than built here.

There are some really fine designs that many people would buy IF they were affordable.

Geetarman:(
 
Python no, Anaconda maybe, Woodsman will be made by USFA when they can get the project together.
Python could not be "affordable" & is extremely unlikely to be made again.
Anaconda's "cheaper-to-make" design may be seen again, it still won't be cheap.
Woodsman should be nice, but "affordable" again may not apply for most people.

Denis
 
Colt made a deal with the Klintoon administration not to sell firearms to the peons (us) in exchange for guaranteed government contacts and to settle a lawsuit for selling "unsafe" products. Colt complied and Bilbo tossed them under the bus and awarded the contracts to somebody else!!
I have no sympathy for Colt. They made a deal with Satan and now are paying the price!! S&W made a deal with the same evil entity and suffered a boycott that lasted over a year until the Brits unloaded it. The new owners told Vladimir Klintonov to go to HELL and the company is prosperous again.

No Colts shall cross my doorstep, ever!
 
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